Fishing With a Floating Device

December 2, 2010

Question:I have a sport fishing license and would like to know if I need to physically hold the fishing line with the two hooks myself or can I leave it in the water and have a floating device (like the lobster trap has)? If I can, how close to my line do I need to be? The reason I’m asking is because I would like to fish close to the jetty but do not want to get my boat too close. (Ioannis M.)

Answer: It is not legal to use hook and line gear constructed of a hook(s) or lure(s) attached to one end of a line that is attached to a float or floats at the other end, and that when fished, is not attached directly to a person or vessel.

A line and hook attached to a person, vessel, dock, shore, etc. is fine. But if the line and hook is attached to a float without being attached to any person, dock, vessel, shore etc., that is considered to be “mousetrap gear” and prohibited to use (California Code of Regulations Title 14, section 28.65(f)).